Barrie McKay insists he’ll be ready to go in Aberdeen on Saturday if called upon by Steven Naismith.
The winger made his highly anticipated return to action in Wednesday night’s defeat to Rangers following a three-month injury absence.
He admits it’s the rehabilitation process has at times been tough, but his desire and the support of his teammates has seen him once again enter the first team fold as the Jambos look to get back to winning ways at Pittodrie this Saturday.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Barrie said: “No player wants to be injured. I believe that if I’m fit then I can help the team.
“It was important for me that I got myself right and when I was called upon again I was ready.
“We’ve taken our time with it and made sure everything has been done correctly, to the book.
“You just need to get on with it and it probably went quicker, the second time around to what I had in the summer.
“I had good people around me here and kept me positive. I had Craig Halkett, who was injured at the same time, and it’s not nice that you’re all injured but sometimes its nice to have people there with you.
“Everybody just tries to keep everybody positive. You’re going to have days you come in and you can’t be bothered but you need to get on with it and boys like Halks and Boycie will pull you through, and you’d like to think that you do the same for them if they’ve got the down days.
“You’re always going to have the frustrations. Every day you’re working you’re working towards the games at the weekend and we weren’t there for them.
“It’s been great getting back out on the train pitch as well with the lads, and to be back in a squad and getting on the pitch for a couple of minutes. It was good to get back out there.
“I’ve trained quite a bit. I still need to build it up. I got on the pitch on Wednesday but it was only five minutes.
“It’s probably a time where the squad is healthy, it’s not got as many injuries as we’ve had in the last wee while so it’s a chance for me to either build up or if the manager sees that I’m ready then I’m ready to start. That’s his call, a decision that’s up to him.”
